510 ILCS 55/ Illinois Domestic Animals Running At Large Act.

Updating the database of the Illinois Compiled Statutes (ILCS) is an ongoing process. Recent laws may not yet be included in the ILCS database, but they are found on this site as Public Acts soon after they become law. For information concerning the relationship between statutes and Public Acts, refer to the Guide.

Because the statute database is maintained primarily for legislative drafting purposes, statutory changes are sometimes included in the statute database before they take effect. If the source note at the end of a Section of the statutes includes a Public Act that has not yet taken effect, the version of the law that is currently in effect may have already been removed from the database and you should refer to that Public Act to see the changes made to the current law.

510 ILCS 55/1

(510 ILCS 55/1) (from Ch. 8, par. 1)

Sec. 1.

No person or owner of livestock shall allow livestock to run at large in the
State of Illinois.  All owners of livestock shall provide the necessary
restraints to prevent such livestock from so running at large and shall be
liable in civil action for all damages occasioned by such animals running
at large;  Provided, that no owner or keeper of such animals
shall be liable for damages in any civil suit for injury to the person or
property of another caused by the running at large thereof, without the
knowledge of such owner or keeper, when such owner or keeper can establish
that he used reasonable care in restraining such animals from so running at
large.

(Source: P.A. 84-28.)

510 ILCS 55/1.1

(510 ILCS 55/1.1) (from Ch. 8, par. 1.1)

Sec. 1.1. Definitions. As used in this Act, unless the context otherwise requires:

"Livestock", for the purposes of this Act only, means bison, cattle, swine, sheep, goats, equidae, camelids, ratites, or fowl.

"Owner" means any person who (a) has a right of property in an animal,
(b) keeps or harbors an animal, (c) has an animal in his care, or (d) acts
as custodian of an animal.

"Person" means any individual, firm, association, partnership,
corporation, or other legal entity, any public or private institution, the State of
Illinois, or any municipal corporation or political subdivision of the State.

"Running at large" or "run at large" means livestock that strays from
confinement or restraint and from the limits of the owner.

(Source: P.A. 98-367, eff. 8-16-13.)

510 ILCS 55/1.2

(510 ILCS 55/1.2) (from Ch. 8, par. 1.2)

Sec. 1.2.

A notice of a violation of this Act shall be given to the person
or owner of livestock running at
large if known and a maximum of 24 hours may be granted in which to make
the necessary corrections if the violation is an accidental occurrence and an
investigation reveals no identifiable individual at fault.  Any livestock
allowed to run at large may be impounded at a facility capable of
restraining such livestock.  A notice of impoundment shall be delivered to
the owner of such livestock in person or by certified mail.

Law enforcement officials such as State Police, County Sheriffs, 
municipal police officers, animal control administrators, animal control officers, or authorized agents of the Illinois Department
of Agriculture, or authorized agents of the Illinois Department of Natural
Resources, or the owner or occupier of land may give notice
and cause stray animals which trespass to be impounded.

The person or persons having stray livestock impounded shall make every
reasonable effort to notify the owner or keeper of the impounded livestock
where such livestock is impounded.

The person or persons requesting impoundment shall be held harmless of
any liability for injury to or for any financial responsibility for such
animals.

Stray animals may be impounded at any public stockyards, livestock
auction markets or any other facilities willing to accept such animals for
impoundment.  The impounding facility and its owner or owners shall not be
held liable for any injury or accrue any financial responsibility for such
impounded animals.

Any expense incurred in such impoundment shall become a lien on the
livestock impounded and must be discharged before the livestock are released
from the facility.  The livestock may be released to the owner prior
to the expiration of the impoundment period if impoundment costs are
satisfied and the owner provides evidence that he is capable of
restraining the livestock from running at large.  If the owner refuses or
fails to provide such restraints, or the impounded animals are not claimed
and incurred costs paid within the period of impoundment,
such animals shall be sold either at a public auction, or through a public
stockyard or a livestock auction market, offered for adoption, or humanely euthanized in accordance with this Section.  Before any livestock can be sold, offered for adoption, or humanely euthanized
as herein provided, the person or court requesting the impoundment shall have
published notice of the intended sale, adoption, or euthanization thereof in a newspaper of general
circulation in the area where the
impounded animals were found to be running at large.  If the impounded
livestock is not claimed within 10 days after the date of publication of
such notice, the livestock may be sold, offered for adoption, or humanely euthanized in accordance with this Section.  The proceeds of the sale shall
be applied first to discharge the lien and costs associated with the sale of the livestock, and any balance shall be paid to
the owner.  If any court of competent jurisdiction issues any order
concerning any impounded animal, such animal shall immediately pass to the
jurisdiction and possession of the court bailiff of the jurisdiction in which
the order was issued.

If the lien and costs of the associated sale of the livestock is determined to exceed the expected value of the animal, then the animal may be deemed adoptable by the animal control facility and may be offered for adoption. If no such placement is available, then the animal may be humanely euthanized.

(Source: P.A. 98-367, eff. 8-16-13.)

510 ILCS 55/3.1

(510 ILCS 55/3.1) (from Ch. 8, par. 3.1)

Sec. 3.1.

Any person who violates this Act shall be guilty of
a Class C misdemeanor, except a 10th or subsequent violation of this Act is a Class 4 felony and the court may order the livestock impounded.

In the event the person who violates this Act is a corporation or
partnership, any officer, director, manager or managerial agent of the
partnership or corporation who violates this Section or causes the
partnership or corporation to violate this Section shall be guilty of a
Class C misdemeanor.

(Source: P.A. 98-367, eff. 8-16-13.)

510 ILCS 55/5.1

(510 ILCS 55/5.1) (from Ch. 8, par. 5.1)

Sec. 5.1.

This Act shall be known and may be cited as the "Illinois
Domestic Animals Running At Large Act".

(Source: P.A. 84-28.)